Home Sweet Home[]
Along the horizon a ship sailed, closing in on a wide land. There weren't many passengers aboard, but there was a large group standing near the helm as a man in shades steered the boat.
In terms of weather, it had been a pretty rough ride. The patterns were seemingly random at best, switching from sunny to stormy in several intervals of the day. Thankfully, the boat was a tough one, not one to be taken down so easily by raging waters. After the last ferocious natural attack on its person, it had fought its way through to where the harbor of its destination could finally be seen.
And, of course, the passengers were very pleased to see it.
One of them, a black-haired woman that looked like she was between 20 and 30 looked up from a leaning position against the wall. Her eyes squinted at first, in order to assure that what she saw was the real thing. When it seemed to get bigger and bigger, a grin crossed her face. "About time..." She said wryly. "I was starting to think we'd never get there."
"We're there, finally?!" A voice of younger age shouted, followed by the dash of another figure on the boat platform. It was the form of a young girl, with white hair bundled up into two ponytails. Her slender figure ran to the edge of the boat, hands grasping the balcony and peeking over in order to see the shoreline more clearly.
Another young girl, hair styled similarly, though steel grey, poked her head out from the bottom of the boat. "Here already? I was about to make myself a sandwich."
A shirtless man with lightly tanned skin and long dark hair looked intently at land they were headed to. "I can't believe we moved just because Midori asked."
A pale skinned woman with black hair at shoulder length smiled. "Tou-chan you always give me what I ask for."
"Tou-san, I bet if Mido asked you to jump off a cliff, you'd do it." A man of younger descent, but older than the two "twins" was standing in a fashion similar to the leaner, arms folded across his chest. "You're such a sucker when it comes to younger girls--"
"Hey!" The leaner remarked. "I didn't raise you to talk that way, Kurosaki Taiki!" Although she attempted to make her voice stern, there was no hiding the amusement in her words.
The tan man laughed. "I probably would. Doesn't matter since a fall couldn't kill me."
The woman, who was now presumably the wife of the tanned one, sent a slight stare of annoyance in his direction, mouth curving to a scowl. "Sure. Keep telling yourself that when you free-fell off of that mountain back home." She said. "I mean, just what in the hell were you thinking, doing that?"
"I wouldn't be talking, Mom..." Taiki interrupted, smiling slyly. "Remember when you started messing with a pack of Menos back in Hueco Mundo just out of boredom?"
"Tereya's just a natural-born diplomat!" The silver-haired girl piped up.
"Be glad that they weren't Arrancar! Not that I'd be stupid enough to start messin' with one o' those anytime soon..."
The tan one, Ahatake, laughed. "I'm actually itching for a good fight. An Arrancar would be a welcome sight about now."
"Kaa-chan is an Arrancar." The steel haired one replied.
"Yes but I'm family." Another woman, her hair long and black with antennae like strands sticking up.
"Adela don't count. Why would I bother trying to get her into a fight?" Tereya asked disdainfully. "Aside from if she overly hurts my only son..." It brought a chuckle from the said son, which made her grin a little as well.
"As if you could take me even on your best day." The woman called Adela said, grinning as well.
"That a challenge, little girl?" Turning her feet, Tereya's eyes turned towards the Arrancar as her body faced hers. Though her hands were still folded, it was still apparent that the words had affected her somewhat. "'Cause I take those very seriously."
Adela smirked. "I could take you anytime, anywhere."
Ahatake cleared his throat. "Down ladies. We're nearly there."
The man at the helm looked back at them, his shades reflecting the sunlight. "Please gather your luggage and stand near the exits."
"Hm?"
Tereya shifted herself to turn, her eyes widening as they saw what was to be the harbor right in her face. She must've not noticed enough - the boat was practically getting ready to dock itself. Reaching over, she snatched up the single, but medium-sized luggage case she had in one hand. "Everyone ready?" She asked, turning her head to look over her shoulder.
Ahatake gathered up a long red and black duffel bag, while each member of the family gathered their luggage.
The steel haired girl, Aoi, craned her neck. "Didn't Awai and Isshou come with us?"
Ahatake shook his head. "They stayed behind. Something vague of needing to Awai needing to get used to his powers."
Taiki turned his head to look over at his sister wonderingly. "Hey, Sis!" He called. "How come you picked here of all places? I didn't think you'd find something interesting in Soul Society!"
"Kyashi, Ryuka and their kid moved here." Midori replied. "And since this place is so modern, I decided why not move here? So I got Tou-chan to move us here." She said smiling proudly. "We already have the biggest house in the area."
"Of course..." Taiki muttered, rolling his eyes as he finally allowed himself to stand u, nearly falling over when the boat abruptly stopped. "Nothing but the best for the Kurosaki family."
Ahatake laughed. "Too true." He said as the gangplank descended onto the shore and they all exited the boat. The man in shades grinned as he pulled up the gang plank and steered away.
Now, they all stood at the edge of the harbor.
Two figures were standing on the other end, acting like sentries to the world that was ready to be explored. Their clothing was hidden by a cloak draped around their body. They were both male, one with short and gray hair, and one with short and black hair.
"A welcoming committee?" Aoi looked puzzled at the sight of these two individuals.
"Looks like it." Tereya commented, though she looked a bit skeptical. "Though, why does it seem like they're in uniform? Maybe it's just the harbor guard or something."
Ahatake approached them. "Who are you two?"
When the rest followed suit, Kyuui herself felt a little uneasy as she looked into the two sentries' eyes for a moment before turning away. Even though their faces were kind, their eyes held a bit of intensity that chilled her to the bone. Just to be safe, she slunk behind Aoi a little, though not enough to be completely obvious.
The silver-haired guard stepped forward. "Officer Canine, from the 6th Regiment Police Force." He said in a rather formal and business-like manner. "Due to regulations here, and to ensure peace, you must hand over your weapons before entering the city."
Ahatake looked at the man as if questioning his sanity. "Me? Hand over my Zanpakuto?"
"Yes, sir. Otherwise, I cannot permit you and your group to enter."
"Only as long as you don't intend to keep it."
"You will get them back once you return for departure, or if the King gives you authorization." The man assured, nodding slowly.
Ahatake thought for a moment. "We don't intend to depart. We are moving here permanently. Is there a loophole concerning that?"
Canine shook his head, much to Tereya's and Taiki's dismay. "No, sir. The only ones allowed to utilize any weapon are those of law enforcement. Possession by other individuals is strictly prohibited." He explained patiently. "Though, it would be easier to have the King know, if you intend to stay."
Ahatake sighed and his anger manifested in his spiritual pressure as it began to exude. His face, however, remained unnaturally calm.
Beside him, Tereya cocked an eyebrow towards him in discretion. "What the... what's he thinking?"
Unfortunately, the officers were not so relaxed. Their bodies tensed up, and the knowledge of police enforcement kicked into their brains. They pulled one arm each from their cloaks, holding what looked like a metallic cannon in one hand.
A Kido pistol-type gun.
With a click, they held the barrels to Ahatake's head, triggers ready to pull. "Calm yourself." Canine warned, his voice gentle but his tone a little bit threatening. "Use violence, and we will have to use force if necessarry."
"Granddad, please..." Kyuui insisted, walking up close to him and looking at him in a pleading manner. "They're only doing their job! And besides... they said we would get them back if we got permission!"
"And if we don't?" Ahatake replied, smirking at the sight of the gun.
"I won't repeat myself. Will you cooperate with us, or not?"
Ahatake sighed. "This is annoying the hell out of me. How do we contact this King?" In his mind, Ahatake was fighting with a strong desire to kill those two where there stood.
"The landlord will be waiting for you at your new home. If you ask to meet our Majesty, he'll give you the directions needed."
"Good." Ahatake replied, throwing the man his Zanpakuto. "Break it and you won't live to see the daylight."
"...if you'll just follow us."
After catching the sheathed blade, as well as taking the blades of the rest of the family, Canine and his partner turned away, giving the family a path to follow. "Once we step through the main gate, there'll be a sign that has papers for the full set of laws you will have to obey once you settle in." He continued to explain, the tension gone from his voice.
Kyuui couldn't help but glare for a brief moment at Ahatake's back, having been a little distraught over what had happened.
Ahatake was grinding his teeth. Like always, he felt empty without his Zanpakutou, as if a parent had abandoned him.
Pretty soon, they had stepped through the main gate. The two officers stepped towards the said sign, taking a small stack of papers and passing out a sheet to each individual. "Read carefully and follow each one by the letter. Law breaking is intolerant of this society..."
After a brief nod, they walked off presumably in the direction of their HQ. Tereya scowled at their backs, looking over the sheet that she had been given. "Damn it... don't you feel like you've just been landed in school?" She asked sarcastically, clearly annoyed as much as her husband was at the moment.
Ahatake laughed. "Thanks for those memories. I hated school." He looked down the paper. It listed the region's laws.
1.) The needs of the state come before the needs of the people.
2.) Treason is forbidden and is punished by (depending on the individual) death or temporary to permanent imprisonment.
3.) To build a weapon without authorization from the monarchy is treason.
4.) All citizens must show their utmost respect towards their superiors. Actions such as breaking laws or taking up arms against the police/military will be dealt with severely.
5.) All citizens must contribute to the community when at the age of 21 (e.g. gaining a job, voluntary cleaning of the streets, and/or enlistment in the military).
6.) To sympathize with the enemy in conflict is considered treason and will be dealt with severely.
7. Children are required to be inside by dark. Wanderers will be taken to their place of residence and put under a week-long house suspension. Individuals are considered an adult at 16 years of age.
8.) Unauthorized battle in the streets is forbidden. Battle may only be conducted during war, within one's own dwelling, or in special battle halls through the city. Unauthorized battle in the street is considered an enemy attack and those participating in the battle may be wounded by police and questioned.
9.) Attack on the castle itself is considered treason and will be dealt with by execution.
"Attack on the castle is punishable by execution?" Ahatake said in mock complaint. "There goes Saturday Night."
"I suppose these guys don't promote laziness..." Taiki mused, looking over the sheet in slight disappointment. "There goes my relaxing time..."
"...by dark...?" Kyuui said, a bit sourly as she stared at the 7th rule. "Guess we won't be exploring very much like we did back there, Aoi..."
Aoi however wasn't disappointed. "I don't see how it's a loss. Spending most of the time in the house works out just fine for me."
Adela frowned. "Ahatake-san, there are a few laws here that you may disagree with you know. You love fighting, but fighting is only conducted in designated areas. And well..you aren't the most merciless fighter around and showing sympathy to the enemy is treason apparently."
Midoriko frowned. "These people sure are big on treason."
Tereya shrugged. "Well, then we fight on their designated areas, then. Simple as that." She said dismissively, putting her hands on the back of her head. "Who knows? Maybe they got some kinda fight coliseum that we could practice in!"
"I hope so." Ahatake replied. "So where is this landlord?"
"The officers said he was at our house..." Taiki muttered.
Ahatake looked around a saw yet another cloaked figure. "Another officer, I assume." He thought to himself. Politeness wasn't his strong point and he was in a bad mood anyway so he just walked up to the officer and said rudely. "Hey. Do you know where we can get directions to our house?"
Had he been nicer, the officer would've replied nicely. But at the sharp tone ringing up in his ears, he turned his head towards the Kurosaki and scowled fiercely. "Mind Rule Number 4, outsider." He warned heatedly. "Watch how you speak to your enforcer."
Ahatake scowled. "Don't number me. My name is Ahatake."
The officer merely scoffed. "Well, go ask the King for that! Like I'm supposed to know where you keep your house, you moron." He said spitefully. "Now get outta here."
"And how do we contact this "King"?" Ahatake asked, his eyes flashing golden - a danger sign.
Midoriko sensed the danger and then remembered. Rummaging in her pocket she found a sheet of paper. It said "A. 133." She had completely forgotten she had the address. "Tou-chan!" She said. "I have the address!"
Ahatake whirled around. "And you forgot about it?"
"Kind of."
Ahatake sighed and walked away from the officer without a word of apology for his attitude.
"....a good time to forget it." Taiki muttered in disdain and sarcasm, smirking a little. "You nearly got Tou-san to kill an officer.... sure you weren't just waiting 'till the last minute to tell us?"
"No, I actually forgot." Midori replied. "Still seeing Tou-chan rip that guy limb-from-limb would have been amusing."
"Wrongly so, but I agree..."
As he spoke, the corner of Taiki's eye saw the officer turn his back on them walk away, seemingly mumbling a few words to himself. However, after the man stopped talking, he heard radio chatter in response, until he disappeared into the crowd of citizens. With a frown, he turned back towards his father.
"Alright let's go. We're wastin' time!" Ahatake said. "Midori, you can lead."
"Fine." Midoriko said, getting up quickly. "Everyone follow me."
With everything that happened, everyone was eager to oblige of finally settling in. They followed closely.
Midoriko payed close attention to numbers on the buildings. She noticed that the building's increased in sized as they progressed and some had driveways with cars. Cars in the Soul Society. She bit back the urge to laugh.
"This place looks like a big city from the Human World." Aoi noted.
"The Human World..." Kyuui muttered, looking around at the few cloaked figures that were patrolling the streets. "...didn't have this many police officers at once..."
"Mistrustful." Adela replied. "The feeling radiates off them."
"But why...?" Taiki questioned, looking around in confusion. "Surely with the laws, everything's in order and working perfectly, right?"
"Eh, I'm not a mind reader, so I can't tell you." Adela replied.
"A little speculation would be good enough!" Taiki mumbled, a bit miffed at her answer. "But, either way, I think we can avoid getting into trouble with 'em if we act like we're just a part of the crowd..."
"Aaaand we're here!" Midoriko said, interrupting their chatter. The building they had arrived in was a large white building, mansion like in appearance. It seemed to reflect the sunlight that beamed down onto it, blinding passerby.
And, of course, there was the landlord.
A shaven head and a black, evenly shaved beard. A rather broad face and blue eyes. A suit-and-tie outfit that blatantly displayed his interest in his job. He was standing in front of the door, looking over the group for a moment before putting on a small, welcoming smile.
"I assume you're the new family who's turning in?" He asked politely, stepping forward to meet them.
Settling In[]
"Yeah." Ahatake said, slightly more politely than to the officer. "Kurosaki, Family of 6."
"Right this way..."
The landlord pushed open the doors to the mansion and stepped inside, motioning for them to follow. "You picked a good place to shelter." He commented, looking around. "This is one of the best houses in this section of Yuurei."
"It looks it. This thing could be a star for God's sake." Aoi murmured, obviously referring to it's reflective quality.
"I apologize for the law enforcement here." The landlord continued, making his way through the huge house and clearing a path for the family to move through. "They tend to take their jobs very seriously, and they try to do the best they can. They can be a bit... overzealous... when it comes to obeying their leaders."
"I see." Ahatake replied.
"Did they relieve you of your weapons yet?"
Ahatake hissed. "Yes."
"Ah..." The landlord winced slightly under the snake-like noise of the soon-to-be resident, but he kept his voice calm. "Once you fill out some forms, I can grant you possession of your swords, under specific conditions."
"And those conditions would be?" Ahatake asked, his tone light.
It was here that they finally reached the doors of the living room. With a gentle push, the landlord forced them open. "You are only allowed to use your weapons in self-defense, in your own home, or when fighting in an organized battle." He explained. "You'll have to carry around a card in order to ensure the officers that you aren't doing it legally.
"That seems fair enough." Ahatake replied, smiling for the first time since he had gotten there.
Grabbing a sheet from the nearby table, the landlord handed it over with one hand, a pen in the other. "Read and sign at the dotted line, please." He instructed.
"Alright." Ahatake said, and his eyes skimmed the sheet and he quickly signed it. He handed the sheet to Tereya.
"Well, 'bout time something's went our way..." Tereya grumbled, quickly signing the sheet before handing it off to her son, who followed her suit before passing it off towards another.
Adela signed and passed it off towards Aoi who signed and passed it to Kyuui who signed handed to Midoriko who signed and passed it to the landlord.
"Excuse me, Landlord-san." Midoriko said. "Is there a way to find out where other people live?"
"Uhm... who exactly are you looking for, young lady?"
"A Kyashi Injiki." Midoriko replied, ignoring the exasperated sighs from some family member's.
"Ah... a Kyashi Injiki..." The landlord pondered for a minute. "Yes, she lives just a few blocks up, with a Ryuuka Injiki and their son. You shouldn't miss it; it looks a bit... traditional... compared to our modern buildings."
"Leave it to Injiki to stand out." Ahatake murmured.
"Thanks!" Midoriko said to the landlord, smiling warmly. "By the way, how much is rent here?"
"¥1,555."
"Oh that's easy enough to pay." Ahatake said calmly.
"Anything else..." The man looked up each of their faces for any signs of preparation to talk. "...before I leave you all to your business?"
"Yes. How long does it take to get our weapons back?" Ahatake asked. One track mind.
"30 minutes or less."
"Alright. If we're not here, just have whoever brings them leave them in here."
"Oh, I assure you...." The landlord replied, face crinkling up in a smile. "You won't have to worry about not being here to recieve them. The officers who have them will find you. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
He stepped past them and moved towards the exit. As the door shut behind him, Tereya cocked an eyebrow. "Seems a whole lot different from the police... much more informal." She commented, looking a bit thoughtful.
"Creepy though." Adela murmured. "The officers will find us? Not sure how exactly they'll do that."
Knock. Knock.
Ahatake twisted his head towards the door. "Visitors? Who the heck knows we're here?"
"I'll get it." Midoriko said, striding to the door and twisting the knob. She opened it.
There was no one standing there.
Instead, all that the Kurosaki saw was a bunch of sheathed swords lying at the doormat - their swords. If she peeked outside of the doorway, she would've seen the two officers that had greeted them before walking away briskly.
Midoriko scooped up the blades and brought them in the house. "30 minutes or less." She said laughing.
"Thank God it was less, then!" Tereya shared her boisterous laughter right away upon seeing the swords in her hand. She reached over to nudge Ahatake's arm with her elbow. "Bet you don't feel so vulnerable anymore, huh?"
Ahatake laughed as he reached for his sword and hung it back bu his waist. A feeling of relief washed over him like water.
The rest of the family grabbed their own blades, Aoi grinning as she took her's back.
"Sorry, Sakashima..." Kyuui said softly, as she picked up her own sword, an apologetic look on her features. "I won't leave you like that again, though." She promised the Zanpakuto gently, fixing it to her waist.
"So what do we do?" Ahatake asked.
"What do you think?" Midoriko asked, stroking her Zanpakuto. "We go visit Kyashi!"
"It would be nice to see my ol' partners again..." Taiki commented in agreement, grinning from ear to ear. "No problem with that, right?"
"I doubt they'd like to be called that." Midoriko replied. "And weren't they more like blackmailed servants?"
"Pfft..." Taiki rolled his eyes non-chalantly, waving his hand around carelessly. "Must you be so harsh, Mido-chan?"
"Just stating the truth." Midoriko said as she walked towards the door. "Let's hit the road."
Taiki stared for a moment, lifting a hand to his chin to stroke it in a pondering manner as she walked out of the door. His eyes were squinted, and a neutral curve was made of his mouth as he remained silent for a small moment. When he did speak, it was but one word, under his breath so that it was out of earshot:
"...bitch."
Then he walked after her, ignoring a rather apalled silver-haired daughter as he did so.
They walked through the streets, and noticed that the place was rather quiet. People walked by and despite the cars, they were not in use.
"How far do we go again?" Aoi asked to anyone.
"A few blocks." Taiki replied immediately, his eyes searching around. "And by a few, I believe he meant two or three, so we don't have very far to go."
"He said the place would stand out so we'll know when we get there." Adela said, putting her hand on her daughter's head.
Old Friends[]
"Sshh..."
In the midst of what appeared to be a living room more suited to be in the pioneer era, in a sense, Kyashi was holding a crying Kibou and using a gentle voice in order to soothe him. She looked up in the direction of the kitchen. "Are you done yet?" She called, almost out in annoyance.
"Yeah, yeah...where'd you put it?"
"The fridge!"
"Oh..."
The blonde sighed heavily, leaning back in her chair and waiting patiently. It had been so much trouble moving in and keeping up with Kibou's needs all of the time. For someone so young, he was quite demanding. She almost regretted moving from her parents' grip and into the neighborhood... at least she didn't have to do the responsibilities that her older sister would've had to do.
The crying slowly began to stop, reduced to silence in a slow and gradual manner. A smile came across Kyashi's face as she looked down to find the kid fast asleep.
Ahatake and the rest soon happened upon a house. It did look different from the regular houses and like their own was quite large. It looked as if it had been made a long time ago and taken care of just because of it was there, giving it a slightly lonely feeling despite the fact that there were people living there.
Midoriko approached the house and knocked.
Rap. Rap.
Immediately, Kyashi's ears perked up, and her head turned towards the sound. Gently, she set Kibou down in the chair she was in, walked towards the door, and gripped the knob. She hadn't expected company so soon. Was it the landlord again, coming over for a short visit and talk? In any case, she prepared herself.
She opened the door.
All preparation was lost when she saw an old group of friends standing before her. "Guys!" She exclaimed. "You made it already?!"
"Heya!" Midoriko said cheerfully, hugging Kyashi.
"Yo." Ahatake said, waving from behind his daughter.
The arms of her old apprentice gave Kyashi a feeling of nostalgia, which she immediately embraced back. Her own arms wrapped around the younger girl, and she gave a rather motherly smile. "Midoriko. I assume you've been doing well?" She asked, giving a nod towards the rest of the family.
"Yeah, real well." Midoriko said smiling as they entered the house. Aoi and Kyuui immediately ran to look at Kibou.
It was here that the male Injiki brought himself to step into the room, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He was in a rather casual attire - a white shirt overcoated by a black, long-sleeved one, and brown pants. With an expression of nothing more than observance, he looked on as the two Kurosaki kids awed over the sleeping child. He was almost tempted to roll his eyes - it was friggin' sleeping, for crying out loud!
"He's adorable." Aoi murmured.
Ahatake laughed. "Sorry Injiki. These two get fascinated by infants."
"I noticed." Ryuuka muttered gruffly, raising his hands to shoo the two away. "All right, quit botherin' im. Kid needs his sleep, and the last thing I want is to have him throwing a fit again." He ordered in a firm tone.
"Awww..." Aoi sulked. "No fair..."
"Whoever said I was fair?" With a smirk, Ryuka looked over towards Ahatake. "What're you doing all the way down here, Ahatake?"
"Midoriko insisted on visiting." Ahatake replied, the woman in question hanging close to Kyashi. "So what's up with this place? It looks...off...compared to the other buildings here."
"No kiddin'." Tereya agreed. "With all of the nobility shit down back at the Seireitei, I'd think you'd have much more of a royalty taste."
"We wanted to try something different for a change..." Kyashi said, beaming with pride as she looked around. "It was hard finding it, being around all of these futuristic buildings and all that. I think it's rather relaxing compared to the business out there."
Ryuka shrugged. "It'd be a great change of pace. That's why we moved here in the first place; to be a bit versatile in society."
"Ah. Did you get your weapons taken upon arrival?" Ahatake asked.
"We did, but the landlord worked it out, and we got 'em back." Ryuka snickered, lowering his head to the floor. "Friggin' police are overreacting, I swear..."
Ahatake took a seat in am armchair next to the fireplace. "I've been wondering about that. What's up with those police? They're everywhere!"
"They have a strict idea of law enforcement. They have police patrols daily, walking up and down the streets in order to ensure that no crime goes unopposed. That's why the crime rate is so low; these police's methods of enforcement are quite intimidating to the regular civilian."
"Regular." Ahatake snorted the word. "They have no idea there are 9 people who could kill them all without breaking a sweat."
"How'd they react with you?"
"Not so well." Ahatake replied, Aoi had resumed looking at Kibou. "Or rather I didn't react well with them."
Now it was Ryuka's turn to snort. "I figured as much. What exactly happened?"
Ahatake launched into an explanation, telling Ryuka about when they arrived, Ahatake's initial refusal to surrender his weapon, the Kido pistol, and his encounter with the officer when they needed the directions that Midoriko conveniently forgot.
After the man finished, Ryuka had finally grown a bit solemn, folding his arms across his chest. "...I'm starting to get a bad feeling from these guys, now that I think about it..." He muttered. "From what you've said, even when you threatened those two with your spiritual energy, they didn't show any fear at all. It's almost as if like the thought of death had been wiped from their minds..."
He raised his head up, along with a gesturing hand towards the Kurosaki. "Listen, I don't know what's going on, but I do recommend you all be careful. Try not to stir up too much trouble, even if you believe you can take those guys. Something else might be more than what met the eye..."
Ahatake laughed. "Yeah. Me. Not Cause trouble. Boy what fun that will be."
"When did I say it'll be fun?" Once again, the sly tone in the Injiki's voice rose once more to the surface, and a small smirk graced his countenance. "Now, how long do you guys plan on staying?"
"As long as you guys do." Midoriko piped up.
"Wait... you're staying, too then?" Kyashi's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the Kurosaki. "Why? Wouldn't it be a bit too irritating for you to keep following their rules?"
"Yeah, but unfortunately I give Midoriko whatever she wants." Ahatake said sheepishly. "And she wanted to live closer to you and for some reason the rest of us got dragged into it."
...spoiled brat.
Fortunately, the words didn't escape Ryuuka's mouth. What he did say was, "You love being the ass-kisser of your children, don't you?" He muttered, a bit incredulously. "Well, I ain't stoppin' you. How long will your visit be, though?"
Ahatake chipped off a small piece of the chair with his finger and chucked it at Ryuka's forehead. "I'm not sure how long. Aoi seems pretty entertained fawning over your son. It'll be hard to tear her away from him."
A side-nod to the head allowed Ryuka to avoid being the victim of a headshot. "All right. But we won't have you sleepin' over, either." He warned.
"Like I'd want to." Ahatake replied.
"I want to!" Midoriko said.
"Yeah, I was referring to the kid." Ryuka replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Both your first... and second." He nodded over to Aoi, as well.
Aoi scowled. "Can I wake him?" She pointed at Kibou.
"Now, didn't I tell ya the kid needs his sleep?" Ryuka reminded. "No, you can't wake him."
Aoi groaned. "Granpa I wanna wake him!" She complained to Ahatake.
Ahatake laughed. "Can't help you there."
Aoi sulked.
"So...other than what you just said, anything else happen?" Ryuka questioned, cocking an eyebrow.
"Not really." Ahatake replied. "We haven't been here long enough. How long have you lot been here?"
"Only a few weeks, before you guys came." Ryuka explained. "And I've gotta tell ya... for those who're so used to the living of the Human World and Seireitei, they're going to be finding themselves out of the box, if you know what I mean."
"How come?" Ahatake asked. "Aside from the annoyingly increased law enforcement and of course, longer life spans, this place seems similar to the Human World."
"Yeah... but with a much harsher government." Ryuka replied, snorting bitterly.
"Yeah we noticed the laws when we got here." Adela said, bitterness in her tone as well.
"But, it's the only way to assure peace at least somewhere..." Ryuka sighed in heaviness. "Such a shame. The only way without crime is violence in this place. Though, I can't complain... it gives me less to worry about."
"What would you possibly have to worry about Injiki?" Ahatake asked. "You're a Captain-level Shinigami."
"My son would be one thing."
"Why would you worry about him?" Ahatake asked. "He seems harmless enough."
"No, you moron, I mean his safety. Though as strong as I am, I can't fully assure the safety of my family... and I donno much about these police guys... or anyone else of that matter."
Another chunk of wood flew towards Ryuka. "Why would these people possibly harm a baby?"
"Would you quit doing that?!" Irritated by the second attack on his person, Ryuka raised a fist and smashed the wood into splinters. "And I don't know, but it doesn't give me much reason to trust 'em, either!"
Ahatake tilted his head. "True but I doubt they'd be interested in an infant."
"They don't have to be interested in him in order to pick him as some sort of target." The Injiki countered. "Hell, you know as well as I do that we're outsiders of this place, and they'll probably use that against us... by any means."
"Then that's when the party starts." Ahatake said, grinning the grin he normally did when he was about to start a fight.
"Hmph..."
Turning away from Ahatake, Ryuka glanced at the clock. "...how about you guys start packing up and leaving?" He asked patiently, the tense tone in his voice lost. "It's gettin' late, and the sky is gettin' darker and darker..."
"Yeah, and the kids have to get in before curfew." Adela said, ignoring the "Aws" from Aoi and Kyuui.
"Was nice meetin' you, though..." Putting his hands on his head, Ryuka allowed himself to fall onto the couch in a lazy manner. "Remember what I said, and don't stir up too much trouble!"
"Of course." Ahatake said, as Aoi, determined not to leave without waking Kibou up, poked his cheek gently.
"That's my kid you're buggin'..." Ryuka muttered, reaching over, gripping Aoi by her shoulder, and pulling her away from Kibou. "Kyashi, mind takin' him to his room?"
"Of course..."
The blonde reached over to gently pick up the sleeping child in her arms, allowing Ryuka to release the black-haired girl.
Aoi sulked again. "You're mean Ryuka!" She grumbled.
"Don't worry, you'll get to see him next time..."
"See ya later Injiki." Ahatake said, waving as they left.
Aoi left with the rest of her family, still sulking.
"Hey, what's with that face?" Her father, having noticed the sullen expression on her daughter's face, put on a rather assuring smile as he raised one hand to ruffle her hair a little. "You'll see him the next time we visit, right? Not like you won't see him forever again."
"I just think she didn't have any fun." Ahatake said, when Aoi didn't answer. Aoi nodded.
"Oh, that's it?" Taiki merely shrugged in reply, the reasoning not being surprising to him. "I think she, as well as any of us, can get over it at least by tomorrow. We'll have a chance to start exploring this little city and see what's the good side out of all this..." He trailed off, cocking an eyebrow in thought as he attempted to come up with a word. "Uhm..."
"Martial law?" Tereya suggested.
"Yeah, that's it."
Ahatake sighed. "Wonder if there's anything good about this place?"
"C'mon, Dad..." Taiki insisted. "If there's nothing good about it, then why would the Injikis bother staying here? I'm sure there's something worth living for in this town..."
Then something caught his eye.
"C'mon, c'mon, he's gaining on us!"
"Crap, crap, crap, crap..."
Three civilian figures were running through the midst of the crowd, ignoring their stunned looks as they did so. They consisted of two men and a woman, rather teen-looking in appearance. Occassionally, they were looking back behind them in a frantic manner before turning forward once again, obviously being chased by something.
And that something happened to be an officer.
With his cloak billowing behind him, he was running like a demon after the four, dodging and leaping over other civilians that were in his way.
"Should we do something?" Ahatake asked.
The civilians were approaching an alleyway.
But unfortunately for them, their run was about to end right there.
Out of the blue, three officers blocked their path, and they didn't realize it until it was too late. The officers charged the unarmed three, and with quick CQC movements, overwhelmed and subdued their targets within seconds. All three were now lying on the ground.
Upon a closer look, it had appeared to be that at the officers themselves had been attacked. One of 'em had what looked like a bleeding gash on the forehead, while another had a bruise on his jaw. All three of them had their guns pointed, ready to kill at the sign of hostile movement. The one who had been chasing them down stepped forward, speaking with a cold voice.
"You are under arrest for purposeful attack on law enforcement. Anything you say can and will be used against you. Do not try to resist, or your consequences will be worse than they are now." He ordered. He looked up at the other three, giving a nod. That was all that was needed for those three officers to reach down and roughly pull their new prisoners up on their feet.
"Get up!"
"Go on!"
"Move it, bitch!"
"Oh, dear..." Taiki muttered, frowning slightly. "Seems like we're not the only ones who dislike the police..."
Aoi's sulking look vanished, replaced with one of concern. "I feel rather sorry for the officers."
Tereya snorted, watching the officers tote the perpetrators away. "With all of their shit, they had it comin' to 'em. Too bad the damage wasn't too severe..."
Ahatake laughed, while Aoi looked reproachful. Both granddaughter and grandfather did not like harming innocents, but as far as Ahatake was concerned, confiscating his Zanpakuto for however short a time should be punishable with death.
"And it's over just as quickly. Let's get back to the--"
"She's trying to escape!"
The woman had broken free of her captor's grip, stunning all three officers as she broke into a run once again. "That little..." One officer snarled angrily, getting ready to run after her again before he saw the other two move behind him.
They ran, leaving the officers in their wake and back towards freedom. But strangely, this time, their prosecutors didn't give chase, nor did they react as initially as that one did. Instead, they did the unthinkable.
They raised their rifles up.
Kyuui's eyes widened immediately in fear. "Oh, no..."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The energy bullets were fired, hitting their targets with deadly accuracy. There was no sound made, no scream, no grunt, no shout... just the sound of dead flesh hitting the sidewalk like pre-meat products on a mat. Their blood stained where they lay, and civilians around them displayed their own variations of shock.
"Prisoners eliminated. Situation is under control."
A vein throbbed in Ahatake's head, and Aoi gaped.
Adela sighed. "I think we should get moving."
"....I agree." Was the reply from the slightly taken aback husband.
The family moved down back towards their house as the sun went down. "Wierd. Despite the laws and all that, this place is beautiful and even more so at night." Aoi whispered, recovering from the shock of the earlier event.
"Then you'll love it when it's full night-time." Tereya replied. She paused for a moment, before adding, "Provided you like looking out a window when it happens."
Aoi laughed sarcastically. "At night, this city will be the last thing to hold my attention." She said slyly, looking at Kyuui.
Under the stare, Kyuui blushed slightly, looking away for a minute. Though their father remained silent, a small frown had formed over his face, and he himself turned away.
Ahatake laughed and sighed. "Well let's get inside. I'm starving anyway."
Unbeknowngst to them, three figures were watching from outside. They only caught glimpses of their spying targets, but from the reports, they knew who each of them were. Two of them had a rather militaristic appearace; a gray military soldier uniform, fitted with a matching cape and hood. All that could be told from the face were three red eyes. The lead one, however, was completely different; his uniform was similar to one would wear as a civilian, and his own cloak and hood was black. Part of a Caucasian-skinned face could be seen.
"First one group of Shinigami come, then another..." The lead one muttered under his breath, glaring at the household. "I should've known the borders would've been less tightened."
"When should we intervene, sir?" One of them asked.
"If they cause trouble, then the police won't have to deal with them anymore. We will. I won't have this continuous migration start to influence the citizens into thinking of that disgusting Seireitei."
When the figure of Ahatake passed by, the leader's stare was prominent in particular. "And when that time comes... I'll deal with that one myself." He vowed, turning towards his comrades. "Let's go!"
Silently, they departed from the area as quick as they had come, vanishing like ghosts into the darkness.
The End